Signal or direction indicating light



Oct. 17, 193 9. 1 M MR ms 2,176,546

SIGNAL OR DIRECTION INDICATING LIGHT Filed Jan. 18, 1938 6 jwue-ntom 3oli z'na Ghana 1424 Patented Oct. 17, 1939 UNlTED STATES ATENT OFFIiZEClaims.

This invention relates to the class of electric signaling and pertainsparticularly to improvements in. signal casings.

The present invention has for its primary ob- 5 ject to provide animproved signal casing or unit which is adapted for use upon motorvehicles, motor boats, or any other similar structures in connectionwith which signals must be given in the running of the same, wherein anovel housing construction is made use of for maintaining reflectors andtranslucent lenses in place in the unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel signal lightcasing or unit wherein a body wall and supporting bracket arm areconstructed in a novel manner by which is accomplished a particularlyadvantageous means of assembling and holding in place other removableparts of the unit.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing forming part of this specification with the understanding,however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformitywith the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so longas such changes or modifications mark no material departure from thesalient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a View in elevation of the lamp unit embodying theinvention, the same being viewed from the rear.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a circuit diagram for the signal. Fig. 5 is a sectional viewon an enlarged scale showing a detail of construction.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral I generallydesignates the housing of the light unit embodying the presentinvention, which housing is illustrated as being of circular design.This housing is formed of metal of suitable weight and width and isshaped, as stated, in the form of a circle or ring having the two partsor halves 2, the free end of each of which terminates in the outwardlydirected lip or flange 3. Integral with the body portion I of the splitring there is secured or formed the diametrically extending broad flapbar one end of the bar joining the casing wall directly opposite thedivision in the casing, as illustrated,

the bar extending across the casing and between I the flanges or lips 3.The portion of the bar 4 lying between the flanges 3 has its upper andlower faces cut away, as indicated at 5, to receive the opposed flanges3, and the bar adjacent these cut-away portions merges with a supportingarm or standard 6. The end of the arm is joined to a suitable plate Ifor facilitating the attachment of the signal unit to the side of anautomobile or to a suitable support upon the structure to which it is tobe attached.

The bar 4 constitutes a division wall between the members 2 of thecasing, and it is provided substantially midway of its ends and in itsupper and lower faces. with sockets 8 for the reception of electricincandescent lamps 9. The arm 6 is of tubular formation and the bar 4 isalso hollow from the end adjoining the arm to the point where thesockets 8 are mounted so that the necessary electric current conductingwires may be runto the sockets from a suitable source of electricpotential and a switch control means. The electrical features associatedwith the lamp unit will. be hereinafter more particularly described.

The. top and bottom surfaces of the partitioning element or bar 4 areprovided adjacent the longitudinal edges of the bar with the grooves orchannels Ill and confronting these grooves are similar channels I!formed in the curved inner face of the opposed portions 2 of the casing.A similar channel is formed along the longitudinal center of the top andbottom surfaces of the bar 4, as indicated at l2, and the inner faces ofthe portions 2 are provided with the the similar opposing channels I3.

The numeral Id designates two glass panels or lenses which arepreferably red in color, while the numeral l5 designates similar lenseswhich are of amber color. These lenses are of semicircular formation andthe straight edges thereof are adapted to position in the channels H] ofthe bar 4 while the curved edges engage in the opposing arcuate channelsI formed in the inner surface of the casing section 2.

The numeral l6 designates a pair of reflecting plates, each of which isof semi-circular formation like the lenses and has its straight edgepositioned in a channel it of the bar while the outer edge positions inthe channel l3 of the casing. At the center of each reflecting plate l6an aperture ll is formed to receive the adjacent incandescent bulb 9 sothat each bulb serves to i1- luminate both sides of the reflector l'B.

From-the foregoing description it will be readily apparent that inassembling the light unit em bodying the present invention, the freeends of the annular casing portion are sprung away from the cut-awayportion of the bar 4 so that the lenses and the reflecting plates may beslipped into their respective grooves in the faces of the bar 4. By thendrawing the flanged ends of the portions 2 together, the curved edges ofthe lenses and of the reflecting plates will be engaged in theirrespective channels or grooves II and I3, and securing elements I8 maythen be passed thru the flanges 3 into the end of the bar, asillustrated, to secure the lenses and other parts in assembled relation.

It is preferred that the red lenses l4 be at the top of the unit, andthat these be employed to signal a proposed left turn of the vehicleupon which the unit is mounted and each of these lenses is thereforeprovided with an indicating arrow l9 and the legend Left as shown, andthe lower amber lenses [5 are provided with oppositely directed arrows2i] and the legend Right so that when the right turn of the vehicle isto be made, this lower part of the casing will be illuminated.

Fig. 4 illustrates a circuit layout for the light unit, and it ispreferred that there be associated with the unit a switch 2! having theright and left contacts 22 and 23 respectively which are so disposedwith relation to the switch arm 24 that when a left turn is to besignaled the arm 24 will be shifted to the left and a right shift of theswitch arm will therefore illuminate the right turn indicating part ofthe unit. The numeral 25 designates a suitable source of electricpotential which has one side grounded as at 26 for connection with thegrounded sides of the two incandescent lamps, as indicated at 21. Theother sides of the, lamps are indicated by the wires 28 and 29 with theright and left hand sides respectively of the switch 2|.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that there has beendisclosed herein a signal unit in which a novel method is employed forsecuring the several elements thereof in assembled relation. This novelmethod of securing the parts is such that securing elements such asscrews or bolts need be used only at one point in the entire structure,and that is at the point on the carrying arm 6 where the latter joinsthe bar 4 and where the ends of the two sections 2 of the casing arebrought together.

I claim:

1. A signal lamp, comprising a substantially flat casing frame havingopen front and rear sides, said frame comprising an upper and a lowerportion and an intermediate bar, said portions of the frame being joinedat one end to one end of the bar and detachably coupled at their otherends to the other end of the bar, the bar dividing the frame into upperand lower light chambers, a lens for each side of each chamber, meansupon the top and bottom surfaces of said bar and the surfaces of theframe portions opposed thereto for engaging the edges of interposedlenses, illuminating means for each chamber, and means for mounting theframe on a support.

2. A signal lamp, comprising a substantially flat casing frame havingopen front and rear sides, said frame being divided at one side formingtwo opposed ends, each of said ends terminating in an out-turned ear, anelongated flat bar fixed at one end to the inner side of the frameopposite said ends and extending across the frame between said endsdividing the frame into upper and lower lighting chambers, the said endsbeing movable relative to said bar to change the size of the areasbetween the bar and the adjacent parts of the frame, lenses closing thetwo sides of the two chambers and each being enaged along its edges andheld in place by the opposing surfaces of the adjacent bar and frame,lighting means for each chamber carried by the bar, means securing saidears to the interposed bar whereby the lenses are held in place, andmeans for attaching the lamp to a support.

3. A signal lamp, comprising a substantially flat casing frame havingopen front and rear sides, said frame being divided at one side formingtwo opposed ends, each of said ends terminating in an out-turned ear, anelongated fiat bar fixed at one end to the inner side of the frameopposite said ends and extending across the frame between said endsdividing the frame into upper and lower lighting chambers,tl1e said endsbeing movable relative to said bar to change the size of the areasbetween the bar and the adjacent part of the frame, lenses closing thetwo sides of the two chambers and each being engaged along its edges andheld in place by the opposing surfaces of the adjacent bar and frame,lighting means for each chamber carried by the bar, means securing saidears to the interposed bar whereby the lenses are held in place, and

supporting means for the lamp comprising a bracket arm forming anintegral continuation of that end of the bar which passes between theears and having an attaching plate at its free end.

4. A signal lamp, comprising a flat casing frame open upon its twosides, said frame being divided at one point forming two free ends, anear projecting outwardly from each of said ends, a flat bar formedintegrally at one end with the inner side of the frame opposite saiddivision and extending across the frame between said ears dividing theframe into an upper and a lower chamber, the upper and lower halves ofthe frame being sufliciently resilient to permit substantial movement ofsaid ear carrying ends away from the bar, means for securing the ears tothe bar, a channel extending longitudinally of the top and bottomsurfaces of the bar adjacent each side edge thereof, a channel extendingthroughout the length of the inner surface of each half of the frameadjacent each edge and in opposed relation with a channel of the bar, alens covering each open side of each chamber and engaged along its edgein opposed channels of the bar and frame, illuminating means for eachchamber, and a supporting arm for the lamp joined to the casing.

5. A signal lamp, comprising a fiat casing frame open upon its twosides, said frame being divided at one point forming two free ends, anear pro- J'ecting outwardly from each of said ends, a flat bar formedintegrally at one end with the inner side of the frame opposite saiddivision and extending across the frame between said ears dividing theframe into an upper and a lower chamber, the upper and lower halves ofthe frame being sufficiently resilient to permit substantial movement ofsaid ear carrying ends away from the bar, means for securing the ears tothe bar, a channel extending longitudinally of the top and bottomsurfaces of the bar adjacent each side edge thereof, a channel extendingthroughout the length of the inner surface of each half of the frameadjacent each edge and in opposed relation with a channel of the bar, alens covering each open side of each chamber and engaged along its edgein opposed channels of the bar and frame, a reflector plate in anddividing each chamber on a plane parallel with and midway between theadjacent lenses, the confronting faces of the frame and bar havinggrooves to receive the edge of the adjacent plate, each plate having arecess adjacent its center, an incandescent electric bulb mounted uponeach side of the bar, each bulb being located within the recess of theadjacent plate to illuminate the chamber in which it is enclosed On bothsides of the plate, means for conducting electric currentto the bulbs,and a supporting arm for and attached to the lamp.

MARL MORRIS ROBBINS.

